Boys of Summer

The Rider University baseball players advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2010 and are already working hard for the 2011 season. Many of the Broncs are honing their skills in various parts of the country.

"It is a great opportunity for our guys to play in quality leagues to further develop their skills," said Rider head coach Barry Davis, the New Jersey Division I coach of the year in 2010. "To be a good player you need to play against good competition and that is our goal in placing these guys in various leagues."

Junior Mike Thomas (Forest Hill, Md. /Fallston), the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and the New Jersey Pitcher of the Year, is pitching in Wisconsin in the Northwoods League for the Green Bay Bullfrogs.

Thomas was named to the 2010 ABCA/Rawlings All-East Region First Team and his name will now appear on the All-America ballot. He compiled a 9-3 record with an earned run average of 4.14 and set Rider single-season records for strikeouts (98) and innings pitched (104.1) this year. He led the MAAC in strikeouts and victories.

For the Bullfrogs, Thomas is 1-0 with a 2.61 earned run average in two starts.

Junior A.J. Albee (Ashley, Pa./Hanover Area), the MVP of the MAAC Championship Tournament, is playing in the Valley League in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, along with freshman Joe Calogero (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill HS West) and junior Karl Johnston (Hamilton, N.J./Peddie).

Albee, who was named to the NCAA Regional All-Tournament team after breaking Rider single-season records for runs scored, runs batted in, assists and double plays, plays for the Front Royal Cardinals and is batting .333 with 13 hits in 12 games (nine starts), including a home run.

Calogero went 3-0 in his rookie collegiate campaign, appearing in 15 Rider games, nine as a starter and has appeared in three games for the Staunton Braves, all in relief, and has allowed just one earned run.

Johnston, voted Rider's Most Improved Player in 2010, collected 65 hits and scored 55 runs this season and stole 21 bases. Now playing for the Woodstock River Bandits, the speedy outfielder has started six games and has four hits and six runs scored.

Sophomore Brandon Cotten (Wiconisco, Pa./Williams Valley), freshman Ian Lindsay (Oaklyn/Haddon Twp.) and freshman Chris Taylor (Sterling, VA/Dominion) are competing in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.

Taylor is pitching for the Riverhead Tomcats and is 2-0 with a 1.80 earned run average and nine strikeouts in 10 innings. Taylor was 1-0 as a Rider rookie.

Cotten batted .351 with 68 hits and 56 runs scored while establishing himself as one of the best defensive centerfielders in the MAAC. Playing for the Lehigh Valley Catz, Cotten has a hit and an RBI in two starts. Playing in the same outfield, Lindsay is looking for his first hit after three games played.

Third-year sophomore Patrick Devlin (Richboro, Pa./Council Rock North) is playing in the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League in Maryland and Virginia.

Devlin, who compiled a 7-3 record for Rider this year, is pitching for the Herndon Braves and has compiled 10 strikeouts in 12 innings. Devlin was the winning pitcher in the 2010 MAAC Title Game.

Junior Steve Galella (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial) is playing in the Prospect League for the West Virginia Miners and will compete against freshman Tim Hogan (Gibbstown/Gloucester Catholic) and freshman Adam Wayman (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R. Memorial), who play for the DeKalb (Illinois) Liners.

Galella batted .352 this year with 63 hits in 49 starts. For the Miners Galella has played in just one game.

Junior Mason Heyne (Shrewsbury, Pa./Susquehannock) is playing in the New England Collegiate League, while freshman Chris LeRoy (Freehold/Colts Neck) and freshman Mike O'Reilly (Colts Neck) are playing in the Jersey Shore League.

Heyne hit 21 doubles for Rider this year, one shy of the Bronc single-season record, and had 73 hits in 58 games for a .320 batting average and is now playing for the North Shore Navigators.

Freshman Mike Murphy (Hamilton/Peddie) and freshman Tyler Smith (Westmont/Haddon Twp.) are pitching in Kansas in the Jayhawk League for the Derby Twins.

Murphy won four games as a rookie pitcher and won a game in the MAAC Championship Tournament, while Smith was named the New Jersey Rookie Pitcher of the Year with nine saves and a 6-4 record.

The Bronc Boys of Summer are looking to return to the MAAC Tournament in 2011, held in Trenton's Waterfront Park, and make another run at the NCAA Tournament.

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